Grid pasting machine



March 6, 1934. w E BIBLE 1,949,526

GRID PASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 4, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 tll lill O I 'liiiw 'ill' 9 Z 6' 7 E??? Z nvcnoz March 6, 1934. w, E. BIBLE 1,949,526

GRID PASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 4, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 57 E l Mrz-7? i.' S25/ f attorney March 6, 1934.

I W. E. BIBLE 1,949,526

GRID PASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 4, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 n lm March 6, 1934. W E, BlBLE 1,949,526

GRID PASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 4, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 6; 1.934. W E B|BLE GRID PASTING MACHINE l 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 4, 1932 gwwntpv /f/zfz-W 179/545 WMM 61mm,

Patented Mar. s, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Western Battery and poration of Colorado Application January 4,

20 Claims.

which will effectively and completely fill and pack the grids with a. solid mass of paste so as to leave no openings or unfilled spaces.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an effective smoothing mechanism which will remove the excess pastefrom the grids and smooth the external faces thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an effective mechanism for feeding a continuous flow of paste to the pasting device.

A still further object of the invention is to provide effective means for feeding the empty grids to the machine and for removing the lled grids or plates therefrom.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawings and throughout the description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved grid pasting machine.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the worm transmission between the vertical and horizontal countershafts.

Fig. 3 is anV enlarged, vertical section through the upper portion of the machine, taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the rear or discharge end of the machine.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views illustrating the construction of the scraper paddles. l

Fig. '7 is a detail front facefview of the grid tracks taken on the line 7-7, Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 is a detail section through the upper grid tracks taken on the line 8 8, Fig. '1.

Fig. 9 is a detail section through the lower grid tracks taken on the line 9-9, Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a detail View of the grid friction shoe.

Supply Company, a cor- 1932, Serial No. 584,750

Fig. 11 is a face view of one of the pasting hoppers.

Fig. 12 is 4a plan view of one of the pasting hoppers.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view through the pasting 60 hopper taken on the line 13-13, Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a detail view illustrating the operation of the carrier chains on the grids.

The battery grids, indicated at 15, may be formed especially for use in this machine by being provided with projecting bosses 16 which may be later trimmed from the completed plates.

The invention comprises a stationary frame work 17 which supports a pair of upper vertical track members 18 and a pair of lower vertical 70 track members 18. Two endless vertical carrier chains 19 are arranged to travel on the forward faces of the track members 18. The carrier chains are provided with link plates 19' which engage the side edges of the grids 15 as shown in Figs. 7 and 14. Certain of the link plates 19 are notched as shown at 20 to receive and hold the bosses 16 of the grids and pass the grids downwardly along thetrack members 18 and 18'. The grids are held against the upper and lower track members 18 and 18 by means of suitable track bars 53 and 53', respectively.

A pair of angularly positioned magazine feed bars 21 terminate against the plates 19 on the descending sides of the chains 19. The feed bars support an inclined pile of the grids 15, by means of their lugs 16, against the side plates of the chains 19, so that, as the notches 20 in the chains come opposite the lugs 16 of the lowermost grid, the grid will enter between the side plates 19' and be carried downwardly between the track members 18 and the track bars 53. The grids may beY fed to the feed bars 21 in any desired manner such asl by means of aY suitable conveyor 22.

The carrier chains 19 do not extend along the lower track members 18'. They do, however, exert a uniform downward pressure on the entire series of grids to force them downwardly through the lower track members 18'. 'Ihe vertical series 100 of grids in the lower track members is supported by a pair of friction shoes 23, one of which is hingedly pivoted to the lower extremity of each of the track bars 53'. The shoes 23 are constantly forced against the descending grids by 105 means of suitable springs 23' so as to maintain each grid snugly against its neighbor, to prevent paste in the later operations from passing between the grids.

As the grids are released by the friction shoes 'A10 and drop from the bottom of the track members, their lugs will engage a pair of curved guide clips 24 which will force them forwardly out of the' line of the upper grids and deposit them in suitable receiving trays 25. The receiving trays are constructed with a U-shaped cross section without ends or top. The sides are preferably, but not necessarily, provided with a series of plate receiving notches 26 which support the finished grids in spaced relation by means of the lugs 16. The receiving trays 25 are constantly moved forward by means of a pusher chain 27 so as to receive the grids in spaced apart relation.

Thus far, I have described the operation of feeding the grids to the machine, conveying them therethrough, and carrying them away. During their passage through the machine, the grids are pasted or filled with the active material. The paste is received from the mixing vats in two paste reservoirs 28, one being positioned oppo site each face of the grids. Within each of the reservoirs is a vertical shaft 29 carrying a scraper 30 and a discharge impeller 31. A discharge slot 32 is formed in the bottom of each reservoir. Below each discharge slot is a paste hopper 33, in each of which a bladed pasting rotor 34 rotates snugly against the face of the descending grids. Immediately back of the pasting rotor is a bladed impeller 35 which acts to press the paste toward the rotors 34. The rotors 34 and the impellers 35 are carried on rotor shafts 36. The rotor shaft 36 in the front paste hopper 33 is provided with a universal joint 37 which allows forward and back and `angular movement of this paste hopper to conform to any irregularities or variations in thickness of the grids. The latter paste hopper is constantly forced against the descending series of grids by means of suitable compression springs 38. The springs 38 surround, and are held in place by, spring pins 38 which project outwardly from the front of the front paste hopper and slide through bushings in a front plate 75 of a hopper frame 75.

The front paste hopper is provided with suitable side flanges 78 by means of which it is slidably supported on the hopper frame 75 so that it may move forward or back to accommodate variations in the grids. It is desired to call particular attention to the fact that, in this machine the paste is forced into the plates from both sides so the grid will be completely filled regardless of any overlapping or staggered arrangement of the grid bars.

The bottoms of both paste hoppers are arcuate to conform to the outline of the rotors 34. It has been found advantageous to have these bottoms of relatively thin material as shown so that they will act as Scrapers to scrape away any excess paste from the grids as they descend. The tops of the paste hoppers 33 are, of course, open to receive the discharging paste from the reservoirs 28. The grids after leaving the paste hoppers 33 will be completely filled with paste and their surface will be fairly smooth. In order to insure, however, that the paste has been evenly distributed and rmly packed and to remove any excess paste, two rotating series of scraper blades 39 are positioned below thefhoppers so as. to engage the opposite face of the descending series of grids. These scraper blades are carried on suitable spider arms 40 from rotating scraper shafts 41. Both series rotate so that the scrapers will Wipe against the descending grids in an upward direction.

The blades 39 are formed of spring steel or similar resilient material and are constructed so that they can be forced radially inward toward the shafts 41, thus allowing them to remain in contact with the grids for a considerable length of their travel. This inward movement is accommodated by mounting the scraper blades 39 on fiat T-shaped blade arms 42 which are provided with suitable slots 43, which allow them to slide along their attachment bolts 44. The Scrapers are constantly urged outwardly by means of tension springs 45.

Any paste which may adhere to the scraper blades 39 is removed by means of horizontal, hinged, wiping bars 46, which are positioned in the path of the scraper blades on their downwardly moving sides. The wiping bars 46 are hinged upon lateral rods 47 from the framework 17. The wiping bars at the opposite ends of the machine are connected together by means of a suitable connecting rod 48 and levers 49. Thus, as a scraper at one side of the machine strikes its wiper bar 46, it will force the latter downwardly with it while the paste is being scraped away. This downward movement of the wiper bar will act through the connecting rod 48 to raise the opposite wiping bar 46 so that it will be in position to engage the next descending blade on its side. This reciprocating action of the wiper bars continues as long as the machine is in operation and serves to maintain a relatively long scraping contact with the blades and to shake any excess paste from the wiping bars. The latter paste may be collected in any desired manner such as upon suitable small conveyor belts positioned as indicated at 50, Fig. 1, which will return it to the mixing vat or to the reservoirs 28.

At the point in their travel where the grids leave the upper track members 18 and enter the lower track members 18', a pair of driven guide discs 73 are inlerposed. The guide discs 73 engage -the edges of the filled grids and guide and force them into the lower track members 18' and 53'. The discs are notched as shown at 73 to allow them to pass over the projecting lugs 16 of the grids.

It is desired to call attention to the fact that the machine is adjustable for various thickness of grids. This adjustment is accomplished by mounting the entire mechanism at the front face of the grids upon a vertical, adjustable frame 51, which is supported from the main framework 17 upon suitable eccentric cams 52. Thus, by rotating the cams 52 the operator can cause the adjustable frame 5l to move toward or away from the main framework. The track bars 53 and 53 are supported from the adjustable frame 51 by means of suitable arms 54 and spacers 76 so that as the adjustable frame is moved away it will draw the track bars 53 and 53 away from the track members 18 and 18' so as to widen the space therebetween to accommodate a thicker grid,

This movement is also communicated to the feed bars 21 and the reservoir 28 on that side of the machine. The springs 38 aulomatically accommodate the pasting hopper 33. on that side to the difference in thickness.

The entire mechanism is driven from any suitable source of power from a main drive shaft 55, through a clutch 56 operated from a suitable clutch lever 57. The rear scraper shaft 41 receives its power direct from the drive shaft through a. suitable chain 58. The front scraper shaft receives its power through a second scraper chain 59, there being a set of gears interposed so as to reverse the direction of the latter shaft 41. The pasting mechanism receives its power from a vertical countershaft 61, which drives the vertical reservoir shafts 29 through suitable chains 62. The vertical shaft also drives a. horizontal countershaft 63 through the medium of a worm gear 64. The horizontal countershaft drives the rotor shafts 36 through the medium of suitable chains 65. One of the rotor shafts 36 is caused to travel in the opposite direction from its opposing shaft 36 by means of suitable reversing gears66. The pusher chain 27 is driven through the medium of a suitable drive chain 67, there being a suilable speed reducing sprocket 79 interposed to reduce the speed of the pusher chain.

The carrier chain 19, on one side, is driven from the horizontal countershaft 63 by means of a drive chain 70. 'I'he carrier chain at the other side is driven from the first carrier chain by means of an upperfcross chain 71, there being a pair of direction reversing gears 72 interposed to reverse the direction of the two carrier chains so that their inner reaches will move downward simultaneously. The guide discs 73 are driven from the lower sprockets of the carrier chains 19 by means of short chains 74. y

It has been found advantageous to place a spring actuated clutch, such as indicated at 77, 1n the drive to the scraper blades so that should a plate become bent or stuck in the track bars, the drive can be shut off and the Scrapers rotated forward by hand to facilitate access to and removal of the damaged plate.

The above method of driving is simply suggestive of a manner in which the drive may be accomplished. It is, of course, to be understood the various drives for the various parts may be accomplished in any desired manner.

The receiving trays 25 may be fed to and removed from the machine in any desired manner. It is suggested that they be supplied to the machine from a gravity roller conveyor, such as indicated at 68, and removed from the machine on a similar conveyor 69. If it is 'desired to pickle the plates, the trays 25 should be formed of hard rubber or similar acid resisting material so that the completed grids or plates can be immediately placed in' the pickling vats while still in the trays.

The machine has been described as applied to grids of a single plate width. It can, of course, be built to handle grids cast to form two or more plates at a time, by simply widening the machine to accommodate the wider grids.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent 1. A battery grid pasting machine comprising: vertical grid tracks arranged to hold said grids in a continuous vertical edgewise series; two endless carrier chains, one positioned adjacent each track and arranged to engage the opposite edges of said grids to force the latter downwardly along said tracks; and means for pasting said grids during their travel.

2. A battery grid pasting machine comprising; vertical grid tracks arranged to hold said grids in a continuous vertical edgewiseseries; two endless carrier chains, one positioned adjacent each track and arranged to engage the opposite edges of said grids to force the latter downwardly along said tracks, said chains terminating intermediate the extremities of said track so that the impelled grids will-propel the remaining grids along said track; and means for pasting said grids during their travel.

3. A battery grid pasting machine comprising: vertical grid tracks arranged to hold said grids in a continuous vertical edgewise series; two endless carrier chains, one positioned adjacent each track and arranged to engage the opposite` edges of said grids to force the latter along said tracks, said chains terminating intermediate the extremities of said track so that the impelled grids will propel the remaining grids downwardly along said track; means for pasting said grids during their travel; and restraining means adapted to contact with said grids adjacent the discharge extremity of said track so as to support the entire series and maintaining the grids in close conta-ct.

4. A storage battery grid pasting machine comprising: means for placing paste in said'grids; a vertical stationary track member adapted to guide the grids past said pasting me'ans; and a second vertical track member holding said grids against said rst track member; vertically traveling carrier chains; and projections on said chains arranged to extend between said two track members so as to propel the grids downwardly therebetween.

5. In a storage battery grid pasting machine, means for smoothing the pasted grids comprising: two rotating members, one being positioned opposite each face of said grids; scraper blades carried by said members so as to contact with said grids; a flexible mounting for said blades to allow the latter to move axially inward when they contact with said grids; spring means for urging said blades outward; and wiping members adapted to contact with said scraper blades so as to remove adhering paste from the latter.

6. A battery grid pasting machine comprising:

a pair of vertical tracks, each comprising: two track members arranged to engage opposite faces of said grids so as to maintain them in a vertical, edgewise series; a pair of endless chains arranged to move in the same plane as said grids; said chains arranged to engage the edges of said grids between said track members so as to move said grids therealong.

7. A battery grid pasting machine comprising:

apair of vertical tracks, each comprising: two track members arranged to engage opposite faces of said grids so as to maintain them in a vertical, edgewise series; a pair of endless chains arranged to move in the same plane as said grids; said chains arranged to engage the edges of said grids between said track members so as to move said grids therealong; and resilient restraining members arranged to resist the movement of said s eries adjacent the discharge extremity of said track members so as to cause said chains to force the grids in said series into close contact with each other.

8. A battery grid pasting machine comprising:

a. pair of vertical tracks, each comprising: two track members arranged to engage opposite faces of said grids so as to maintain them in a vertical, edgewise series; a pair of endless chains arranged to move in the same plane as said grids; said chains arranged to engage the edges of said grids i between said track members so as to move said grids therealong; and means for moving onev member of each track in relation to its coacting member.

9. A scraper construction for battery grid pasting machines comprising: a shaft; a series of radial spider'arms mounted on said shaft; a scraper blade carried at the extremity of each arm, said blades being radially moveable; and springs arranged to urge said blades radially outward into contact with said grids.

10. A battery grid pasting machine comprising: a stationary frame; a pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart tracks supported in said frame so as to guide 'a vertical edgewise series of battery grids; means for supporting said series against gravity; means for mechanically moving said grids downwardly in said tracks; and means for pasting said grids as they move downwardly.

11. A battery grid pasting machine comprising: a stationary frame; a pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart tracks supported in said frame so as to guide a vertical edgewise series of battery grids; means for supporting said series against gravity; means for mechanically moving said grids downwardly in said tracks; means for pasting said grids as they moved downwardly; and a horizontally moving receiver adapted to receive the grids at the lower terminus of said vertical tracks.

12. A battery grid pasting machine comprising: a stationary frame; a first pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart track members supported in said frame; a moveable frame supported by said stationary frame; a second pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart track members carried by said moveable frame opposite said rst pair so that the opposite edges of a series of grids will be received therebetween so as to maintain said series vertical and edge-to-edge; means for resisting the action of gravity on saidv series; means for mechanically moving said series downwardly between said track members; and pasting means for pasting said grids as they move downwardly.

13. A battery pasting machine comprising: a stationary frame; a pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart tracks supported by said frame so as to guide a vertical edgewise series of battery grids; means adjacent the upper portion of said tracks for continuously forcing said series downwardly; means adjacent the bottom of said tracks for resisting said downward movement so as to maintain said grids in close contact in said series; and means for continuously pasting said grids as they move downwardly.

14. A battery grid pasting machine comprising: a stationary frame; a first pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart track members supported in said frame; a moveable frame supported by said stationary frame; a second pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart track members carried by said moveable frame opposite said rst pair so that the opposite edges of a series of grids will be received therebetween so as to maintain said series vertical and edge-to-edge; means for resisting the action of gravity on said series; means for mechanically moving said series downwardly between said track members; a first pasting means carried by said stationary frame for pasting one face of said series; a second pasting means carried by said moveable frame for pasting the other face of said series as it moves downwardly, said two:.plasting means operating between said spaced-apart track members.

15. A battery grid pasting machine comprising: a stationary frame; a first pair of vertical,

parallel, spaced-apart track members supported in said frame; a moveable frame supported by said stationary frame; a second pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart track members carried by said moveable frame opposite said rst pair so that the opposite edges of a series of grids will' be received therebetween so as to maintain said series vertical and edge-to-edge; means for resisting the action of gravity on said series; an endless chain positioned at each side of said series so as to move in a plane parallel therewith; projections on said chains extending between the rst and second pairs of track members so as to engage the opposite edges of said grids to move said series downward; and 4means for pasting said grids as they move downwardly.

16. A battery grid pasting machine comprising: a stationary frame; a first pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart track members supported in said frame; a moveable frame supported by said stationary frame; a second pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart track members carried by said moveable frame opposite said first pair so that the opposite edges of a series of grids will be received therebetween so as to maintain said series vertical and edge-to-edge; means for continuously forcing said series downwardly; spring actuated friction shoes bearing against the lowermost grids in said series to resist said downward movement; and means for pasting said grids as they move downwardly.

17. A battery grid pasting machine comprising: a stationary frame; a first pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart track members supported in said frame; a moveable frame supported by said stationary frame; a second pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart track members carried by said moveable frame opposite said rst pair so that the opposite edges of a series of grids will be received therebetween so as to maintain said series vertical and edge-to-edge; means for resisting the action of gravity on said series; means for mechanically moving said series downwardly between said track members; and pasting means for pasting said grids as they move downwardly; and means for moving said moveable frame with reference to said stationary frame so as to vary the distance between said rst and second pairs of track members.

18. A battery grid pasting machine comprising: a stationary frame; a rst pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart track members supported in said frame; a moveable frame supported by said stationary frame; a second pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart track members carried by said moveable frame opposite said rst pair so that the opposite edges of a series of grids will be received therebetween so as to maintain said series vertical and edge-to-edge; a pair of sprockets mounted on each of said rst pair of track members; an endless chain trained around each pair of sprockets so as to be vertically positioned at each side of said series and in a plane parallel therewith; projections on said chains extending between said iirst and second pairs of track members so as to engage and move said grids, downwardly; means for resisting the movement of said grids; and means for pasting said grids as they move.

19. A battery grid pasting machine comprising: a stationary frame; a pair of vertical, parallel, spaced-apart tracks supported in said frame so as to guide a vertical edgewise series 'of battery grids; means for supporting said series against gravity; means for mechanically movled allel, spaced-apart tracks supported in said frame so as to guide a verticalV edgewise series of battery grids; means for supporting said series against gravity; means for mechanically moving said grids downwardly in said tracks; and means for pasting said grids as they move downwardly; and rotary Scrapers positioned opposite each face of said series below said means for pasting.

WALTER E. BIBLE. 

